SOLVED. Historical Romance 80s-90s - End of book, heroine is running from someone falls off horse into water. Husband believes her dead. [s]

[Shannon]

I read a historical romance back in the 80s-90s and I can't recall the author or title.

The end of the book has the heroine running away from someone on horseback. She falls into some water (river?) and loses her cloak/cape. She escapes, obviously, but doesn't return to her home or husband. She hides out with a friend, I think.

Her husband believes her to be dead because they find her cloak.

Heroine learns that she has been presumed dead and she returns home. The husband believes she is a ghost and tells her he doesn't mind being crazy as long as she stays with him.

I thought it might be Judith McNaught or maybe Jude Deveraux. Possible even Johanna Lindsey, but I can't find it.

Please, can anyone help?

[Brenna]

Once and Always by Judith McNaught. IIRC, she doesn't actually fall into the water. She believes she's being followed and throws her cloak away to throw the pursuer off her scent. It is found in the water by a footman or something who was following her to keep an eye on her. And so she is presumed to have drowned

[Shannon]

THANK YOU!